


The Rare Irish Sun

by Ciprus



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, Vanity Fest, Vanity Fest 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-02 01:54:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16296059
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciprus/pseuds/Ciprus
Summary: Vanessa, Charity and the boys on a beach in Ireland and thereabouts.For Vanity Fest, day 5: Celebrations, family and friends.





	The Rare Irish Sun

**Author's Note:**

> This was mostly written way back in August so there might be some minor things that don’t quite gel with canon. I'm a few days late with this but at least it's still Vanity week for a few more hours. :)

Vanessa meticulously massages the sunscreen into her skin.

It’s been nearly a week of their holiday, and it’s the first day she has needed to. The weather hasn’t exactly been perfect for a beach get away. She glances over at Charity, who is already spread out on her sun bed, milking the sudden heatwave for all it’s worth. Vanessa stays in the shade of the parasol to save her skin from burning.

”Need any help with that, babe?” Charity asks.

Vanessa shakes her head. ”You’re staring”, she admonishes gently, the heat of Charity’s gaze warming her cheeks.

Charity smirks and pushes down her sunglasses demonstratively, eyeing Vanessa over the brim. ”Can you really blame me, babe? You’re covered in more layers than an onion most days. I’m just enjoying the view.”

Vanessa preens. It’s the first chance she’s had to wear the new bikini she bought special, and the way Charity’s eyes have been lingering tells her all she needs to know about the purchase being a success.

”You best have a proper look then”, Vanessa murmurs and Charity’s gaze burns much hotter than the Irish sun.

Things haven’t exactly been hot and heavy since they arrived at the hotel nearly a week ago, finding that the family room Charity booked was one big studio. Charity had done her best to change rooms, and threw a bit of a tantrum when it wasn’t possible.

”Mum, stop it, it doesn’t matter”, Noah had grumbled, embarrassed by the scene Charity caused at the reception.

”Some privacy for the adults is nice, is all”, Charity insisted, and threw a sideway glance in Vanessa’s direction.

Noah snarled. ”Gross, mum.”

”Babe, it’s perfectly natural to—”

” _Charity!_ ” Vanessa hissed.

” _Fine!_ ” Charity rolled her eyes dramatically and snatched the keycards out of the hand of the hapless receptionist. ”Ta. Babe, wait up!” she called after Noah, who had already stomped away towards the elevators, clearly wanting to get as far away from them as possible.

Vanessa’s heart had sunk then, wondering how on earth they’d survive two weeks huddled up in a single room together with no escape. But after getting a bit of a talking to, Charity had been on her best behaviour, and Noah had started to thaw slowly. Despite the weather being anything but beach worthy, they’d actually had fun. They’d spent a few days hiking and a few in town. The evenings were spent playing games, Vanessa and Noah teaming up against Charity at every opportunity, making her grumble about treachery. It had been better than good. A kind of big, loud and messy family holiday Vanessa never had before.

An excited squeal breaks Vanessa’s line of thought, as Moses follows a sprinting Noah down towards the water. Charity reacts fast, making a beeline for Moses and catches him just as he is about to throw himself head first into the waves.

Charity turns the giggling boy upside down in her arms as she carries him back towards their sun beds. ”What did I tell you about going in the water without your arm bands, eh?”

”Not ta!” Moses exclaims happily and Charity rolls her eyes.

”You’re a little bandit, you are”, she says fondly, kissing the top of his head.

”I’m a sausage!” Moses insists.

”Yeah, sorry, totally forgot about that”, Charity agrees with a chuckle and shrugs over at Vanessa.

Vanessa smiles at the scene. She has never seen Charity this carefree, this _happy_. Things finally going well with Ryan; this holiday being a success and Noah getting along with them both despite staying in a limited space; it all seems to have worked wonders at lifting her spirits. Vanessa wishes she could freeze this moment and save it, to show to Charity when her self doubts makes her crumble, and remind her of her how much her boys love her. How much they all do.

Vanessa reluctantly tears her eyes away. ”You want to go for a swim too?” she asks Johnny who nods silently and points at Moses. ”You want to swim with Moses?”

”Moz”, says Johnny with a grin, and Vanessa isn’t sure if he is correcting her or just agreeing.

Despite their differences, mainly Moses being a chatterbox and Johnny not completely able to master full sentences, the two small boys get on like a house on fire, seemingly understanding each other perfectly.

After getting geared up, Moses and Johnny hold hands trotting down towards the sea. Noah calls for them to come join him in the water. _Just like brothers_ , Vanessa dares to think, not for the first time. Maybe someday, she hopes.

As they reach the shoreline Moses starts running towards Noah who comes to meet him, while Johnny stops just at the edge, staring at the water with wide eyes.

Vanessa crouches down beside him. ”What’s the matter, my darling? Is it a bit scary?”

Johnny nods vigorously.

Charity kneels down too, swirling her fingers in Johnny’s hair. ”Ocean’s big, isn’t it Johnnybobs?”

”Yeah”, Johnny breathes, his voice full of wonder.

”Why don’t you go and make sure those two don’t drown each other, babe”, Charity says, gesturing towards Noah spinning Moses around in the waves. ”Johnny and I’ll stay here for a bit.”

Vanessa kisses the top of Johnny’s head and walks slowly towards Noah and Moses, glancing back over her shoulder at Johnny and Charity. The sound of the waves tumbling up on the beach drown out their voices, but she can see Charity talking to Johnny, pointing out towards the sea. He is listening intently to whatever she’s telling him.

”Hey Ness! Catch!” Noah yells, and swings a laughing Moses in her direction, before swinging him back away, splashing Vanessa with cold water in the process, making her shriek with shock.

After a good long while of chasing and splashing, Vanessa ends up with Moses on her shoulders. Noah shows them how many times he can flip under water without coming up for air, his enthusiasm charming her. The hostile boy who’d barely look her in the eye is long gone. Her persistence has paid off. She decided not to try to be cool and just let him come to her when ready. This holiday, he finally has. She wishes she knew the secret to what’s changed. Maybe it’s because they’re all a little bit lighter when they’re away from the mundane day to day, where there’s always darkness lurking around the corner.

She glances back to Charity and Johnny who are walking slowly towards them. Johnny has dared to venture out so the water reaches his tummy. He’s grinning and pointing to surface, saying something to Charity who vividly agrees with him. Vanessa can spy the small shadows under the surface, realizing they’re looking at fish. Johnny tugs on Charity’s hand, looking up at her like she is the sun in the sky.

The sight of the two of them, her son and the one she loves, finally cracks something open in Vanessa’s chest, something entirely new that she cannot quite name. She has been feeling it all week, but never as strong as now. It’s an intense feeling of belonging, that connects her to Johnny and Charity; to Moses on her shoulders and Noah swimming nearby. She lets herself feel just how much she wants this, all of them, to be a permanent thing, to be a family. It’s something she never allowed herself to hope for, not even in the abstract. After Kirin left them, she decided that their little family of two was all she needed. Even though she has Tracy and her dad now, she’s always felt like her and Johnny are a single unit, them two against the world. But the last few days, fusing their lives together in temporary cohabitation has given her hope that their little family might grow permanently. In this instant, she realizes that here’s nothing she wants more.

”How are things going?” Vanessa asks, stroking Johnny’s back as he and Charity finally catch up with her and Moses.

”All good now, isn’t it Johnny?” Charity says.

Johnny nods happily. ”I saw fish.”

”You did?” Vanessa asks excitedly.

”Turns out he was a bit scared of the big fish in the sea, but I told him since you’re a vet you know how to wrestle those if need be, right babe?”

”Ah, sure”, Vanessa agrees, amused by Johnny’s impressed expression.

”My mummy wrestle fish!” Johnny exclaims proudly.

”Can you really?” Moses asks, wriggling excitedly on Vanessa’s shoulders, making her put him down in the shallow water next to Johnny.

”Yeah, she might be tiny but she’s fierce, Ness is”, Charity states seriously. ”That’s why you always have to do what she tells you, right?”

Both boys nod in unison, hanging on Charity’s every word.

”Oh, come on. Moses believes everything you tell him”, Noah says with a laugh. ”Watch this. Hey Moz! How old is mum?”

”Fifty!” Moses exclaims and Vanessa snorts out a laugh when Charity’s face drops in absolute outrage.

”Right, I’m getting your for this!” Charity points her finger warningly at Noah who makes ”oh, I’m so scared”-face and runs outward with a laugh as Charity follows.

”Wait for us!” Johnny calls and drags Vanessa and Moses both with him further down into the water, all of his trepidation suddenly forgotten.

—

”Thanks for taking the time with him”, Vanessa murmurs as they’re both look over the two small boys fast asleep and huddled close on one of the sun beds. They’d worn themselves out, playing in the water for almost two hours.

”No need to thank me. Just a part of my elaborate plan”, Charity says with a wink.

”Well, if it’s a plan to make me fall even harder for you, it’s working.”

Charity spins her head to look at Vanessa in surprise. For a moment, she is rendered speechless and her cheeks visibly colours. It’s lovely, it’s not something Vanessa’s seen often. Charity isn’t exactly one for blushing. And Vanessa rarely takes a chance to say something this out there. There’s a silent agreement between them to show and not tell, but she instinctually knows it won’t be too much. Not when they’ve come this far.

”Well… Eh. I was going to say it was a plan to get you in the water with them two and wash all that lotion away so I’d have to help you put it back on again”, Charity babbles. ”But hey, this works too.” She laughs nervously and looks away.

Vanessa just smiles and rolls her eyes, picking up the bottle of lotion and handing it to Charity. ”You can start with my back.”

—

”There’s a magic show on the terrace in a few minutes. You want to go see it?” Vanessa asks Johnny and Moses, who squeal in unison.

”Like Magic Rod?” Moses asks.

”A bit better, I hope”, Charity chuckles.

”I can take them”, Noah offers, Vanessa turning to him in surprise.

”Are you sure you can manage them both on your own?” Vanessa asks.

”Yeah, no problem”, Noah replies a bit too quickly. ”You really don’t have to come, honest.” Vanessa looks over at Charity who smirks knowingly.

Charity fishes 20 Euros out of her beach bag and hands it to Noah. ”Why don’t you buy all of you some ice cream after too, yeah?”

Noah grins. ”Thanks mum.”

”A kids magic show, and he's going willingly. What’s the catch?” Vanessa ponders while watching Noah march off with one toddler in each hand.

”You know that girl he’s been talking to the last few days? She just took her little sister. That’s why he’s so keen on dumping us.”

” _Oh_ ”, Vanessa laughs. ”That explains it.”

Charity lets the hand that’s rested on Vanessa’s shoulder travel down her back, the simple yet suggestive motion making Vanessa shiver.

”As much as I’d enjoy going with them and embarrassing Noah, I think we’ve got better things to do.” Charity gives Vanessa one of those looks that makes her forget about everything else around them. ”Don’t you?”

—

Vanessa has Charity pressed up against the door as soon as it slams shut. Barefoot like this, the height difference isn’t as noticeable and Vanessa doesn’t have to get on her tiptoes to kiss Charity.

”Alone at last”, Charity sighs with a soft laugh.

Vanessa smiles against Charity’s pulse point and works her fingers inside Charity’s bikini top, making her whimper. ”Sounds like you’re in a bad way.”

”Like you have to ask. Five nights in the same bed and not as much as a—”

Vanessa bites gently at Charity’s throat and Charity gasps louder than usual. She smells like the sea, her skin is sun-kissed and scorching and it’s impossible not to get lost in it. The fabric of her bikini bottoms is already damp against Vanessa’s thigh.

The hunger, one of the first things that surprised her about being with Charity (not the last, not nearly) takes hold for real. She feels her own body humming as Charity rises against her touch.

She falls to her knees easily, it’s simple gravity. Charity watches her with dark eyes, chest heaving rapidly. She runs her fingers through Vanessa’s hair, tenderly the way Vanessa loves. Vanessa pulls the bikini bottoms down her legs, hooks one leg over her shoulder and leans in.

The taste is rich and the wetness thick on her tongue. It makes Vanessa moan. Charity’s hands in her hair, the nails scraping against her scalp, the rush of adrenaline makes her pulse beat like a drum in her ears, her throat, all the way out to her fingertips.

It’s so easy to give to Charity, it’s something she wants more than anything. To lavish Charity with pleasure, happiness, _love_ \- anything she can. It’s such a palpable need tears suddenly sting Vanessa’s eyes.

Charity’s grip in her hair starts to get restless, the rhythm of her hips grinding against Vanessa’s mouth stuttering as she loses herself to pure sensation.

”Ness”, she whines, ”Ness, please.”

Vanessa knows exactly what that means.

—

Vanessa curls close to Charity after, basking in the bliss of their bodies pressed together as her limbs grow heavy. There’s something about these moments between them that Vanessa loves the most, she has from the very beginning. When they started out, these were the moments when Charity was at her most unguarded, where her walls melted away for a short time and Vanessa could see all of her. It’s where Vanessa first fell in love.

Since she can’t allow herself to say that just yet, she settles for pressing soft kisses to Charity’s throat and down the valley between her breasts.

Charity hums in appreciation. ”You’re very cuddly all of a sudden.”

”Mmm. Maybe it’s because I like you”, Vanessa mumbles against Charity’s sternum, enjoying the steady beat of Charity’s heart under her lips.

”Could have fooled me. You’ve been very prim and proper all week. Barely let me touch you after bedtime.”

Vanessa sighs. ”You know why that is. I’ve done my best not to traumatize Noah.”

”Nothing wrong with chaste cuddle before sleep though, is it?” Charity asks innocently.

Vanessa snorts and glares at Charity. ”Chaste? A cuddle from you is never just that, is it? Wandering hands.”

”I don’t know what you’re implying babe, but snoring children aren’t exactly an aphrodisiac. Sounds to me like you just can’t control yourself”, Charity teases, her fingers drawing patterns on Vanessa’s hips, making her shiver again despite just being sated.

Vanessa bites her lip. ”Well. You know I can’t resist you. So better not to tempt fate and all that.”

Charity laughs again and hugs Vanessa closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. They stay like that, holding each other for long minutes, just enjoying being close and alone.

”I don’t think we’ve traumatized our Noah too much this trip, have we?” Charity muses. ”Well, not more than usual. He likes you.”

”You think?” Vanessa asks. He has been coming around to her, but it means a lot to hear Charity confirm that impression.

”Yeah. He actually speaks to you now, haven’t you noticed?” And without scowling too.” Vanessa can feel Charity smile against her hair. ”It’s not easy for him. He’s only had me, poor kid. And a string of potential dads, but none of them ever stuck around for long. This is probably his first proper family holiday.”

Vanessa seeks out Charity’s hand and laces their fingers together. Charity squeezes them lightly.

”Mine an’ all”, Charity murmurs. ”The first one where everything’s right. Disregarding the bloody mix up with the room, obviously.”

Vanessa’s heart constricts and throbs hard. The bittersweet happiness at hearing this is almost too much.

”Mine too”, she confesses.

”What do you mean? Didn’t you have plenty?”

”I didn’t really. Dad was never around and my mum usually sent me away to my godmother or my aunt over summer. She and my stepdad used to go to France on holiday when I was away.”

Charity looks completely puzzled. ”But you’re so good at it. All of this family stuff.”

”Haven’t had much practice at it at all, actually. If I'm good at it, it's all due to the company.” Vanessa runs her thumb over Charity’s knuckles.

Charity looks at Vanessa for long moments. ”Right.” She breaks their gaze and focuses on their entwined hands. ”Did you mean it?”

”Mean what?”

”You know, what you said before. About falling and that.”

”Yeah.” Vanessa looks at Charity, sees the question in her eyes. Even after all this time, after everything they’ve gone through together, she still has to ask. It both breaks and warms Vanessa’s heart at the same time. ”’Course I did.”

A smile twitches at Charity’s lips. ”Good.” Her kiss is warm and soft, and so full of affection Vanessa trembles beneath it. ”Cause the kids really like you.”

Vanessa grins at Charity’s obvious attempt at deflection. She doesn’t mind it, she has learned to decipher Charity’s oblique ways of expressing her feelings by now. ”Lucky then, since Johnny adores you.” She kisses Charity back, stroking the soft hairs at the nape of her neck. ”Let’s get up. If we hurry we can probably catch the last of that magic show.”

”Oh the joy”, Charity sighs, but rises without protest. ”And I can introduce myself to that girl Noah fancies too”, she says, suddenly more excited.

”Charity. Don’t embarrass him”, Vanessa warns gently while pulling a sundress over her head.

”Babe, my mere existence embarrasses him”, Charity says while buttoning up a shirt. ”It’ll happen to you too. You’ll learn what it's like when the boys get older.”

Vanessa’s stomach flutters at the subtle implication of Charity’s words. The boys. _Their_ boys.

”Well. I’m looking forward to it”, Vanessa says airily, trying and probably failing to hide exactly how much those words mean to her.

”I wish I could say the same babe, but the thought of living with _two_ teenage boys fills me with dread to be perfectly honest. Good thing you’ll be around to keep us all sorted, eh?” Charity’s eyes are softer than Vanessa’s ever seen them. ”You ready?” she asks while offering her hand to Vanessa.

”As I’ll ever be”, Vanessa breathes, and follows Charity out of the room. Towards their future.

—

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr @blurryoz


End file.
